A few weeks later, Spike was contacted for a meeting by Wallflower Blush. Apparently, she had a new lead on who was behind the fire at the club!

Now, he was meeting her at the usual spot. After their greetings, Spike immediately asked her: “So? What's the news?!” Anxiety was audible.

“Good news first...I finally found somepony that might have a good lead!”

“Great. Bad news?”

“He's a rather shifty fella, and deals not only in information. In exchange for his intel, he wants me to deliver something to him. For a client of his own!” Wallflower explained.

Spike raised an eyebrow. “And that'd be? Maybe I can help?”

“Oh, I bet you can,” she replied dryly, “because you will have to get it for me.”

“Get what?”

“Apparently, that client is a collector of antiques...”

“And?”

“He wants a very specific statue. A statue of a draconequus!”

“A what now?”

“Some sort of mythological creature that is a mix of pony, dragon, griffon and whatever else! Here, take a look!” She pulled her phone out of her back pocket and, with a few taps, brought a picture onto the screen. It showed a weird amalgam of a multitude of varies limbs on a stretched out torso. The head looked goat-liked, especially with that goatee... The 'draconequus', as Wallflower Blush had called it was, seemingly, in the middle of laughing his ass off...

“Why,” Spike wondered as he continued to stare at the picture, “do I have the feeling that it won't be a simple smash and grab?” Buying it was out of the question already. Most ponies who'd hire a guy like that probably had the bits to buy whatever they wanted, unless it was ridiculously expensive. Which, admittedly, an ancient statue or whatever, probably was.

“Because you're a clever dragon, which is why I like to do business with you!”

“It's not in a museum or anything like that?” Twilight would probably murder him if he stole a rare statue from a museum. And it was rather... distasteful, he had to admit. Also, getting past all those security measures...

If it at least had been a huge gemstone, that had some real value! And would be a delicious treat!

“No! Nothing like that!” She reassured him!

“Good!”

Grinning broadly, she told him that: “It is in the possession of the mayor! The picture was taken during a tour of the mayoral mansion! In her office there, to be exact!”

“Fuck you...” the dragon groaned!

“You hired me to get you a lead on the one who's responsible for the fire at your club. To do so, I need you to organize something for me to trade it in.”

“Alright, alright... I'll see what I can do. What can you give me on the layout of the place?”

Wallflower Blush gave Spike all the information she had on the mayor's mansion. Which was quite a bit. Either she'd also had been part of a tour, or she had, which was likely, informants. And maybe a source in the office that had access to the plans...

Over the next few days, Spike assembled a crew for this heist. Due to the sensitiveness of the whole ordeal, only a few of his most trusted, and capable, friends were involved, or even informed: Tempest Shadow, naturally, Big Mac, Applejack, Sunset Shimmer was involved because of her magical abilities, and Fleetfoot, and Rumble for flight. Button was brought along as well. And Bon Bon was kept completely in the dark!

It had been quite a while since they had done something like this... Break-ins had been one of the first things they'd stopped once business had begun to pick up. Unnecessary risks for little gain, in comparison to their other ventures.

They had chosen the night of their action carefully: tonight, there was a big event where the mayor, the deputy mayor and all of their important assistants would attend. And since the sisters were well known to be workaholics, they probably wouldn't get back before Spike and his friends were long gone. They had discussed if they should ask Fluttershy for some assistance, maybe via police equipment, but decided against it. They didn't want to worry her conscience.

Quickly they had made their way into the building, Sunset taking care of any surveillance cameras and protective spells. Now, they were doing their best to keep a low profile as they searched the building. Luckily for them, indeed all the ponies that might've been there, weren't.

They'd checked the first floor already, living room, kitchen, some other rooms... Now, they on the second floor. Spike had checked Celestia's bedroom, and now was looking through the adjacent (unsurprising. Even if the house hadn't been built like this, she probably would've had a new door installed, considering what one heard) office.

The whole time, something was tingling his nostrils. There was something in the air... a smell, dimly familiar... It caused a feeling of warm comfort to spread from his heart, not unlike when he reunited with his family! What was that about? Why here?

He pushed these thoughts aside as he looked over the office room. There were similar side tables to what he had seen in the picture shown to him, but the statue wasn't there. Maybe it had been moved?

He walked around the big desk that dominated the room. It looked pretty expensive! A massive construction made of dark wood and with some golden accents. And it had a number of drawers and two closets. Maybe they were large enough to hold the statue?

As he went to open one of the doors, his eyes fell on one of the drawers. He knew it couldn't possibly fit in there, but... Something in his gut wanted him to check it out!

As the dragon was busy picking the lock, Tempest walked up to him: “Have you found it yet?!” She sounded a little tense. “The sooner we get back out, the better! I think that event will end in an hour!”

“No!” He shot back, strangely on the edge. And it wasn't just because they were on a schedule! “Wait, I just managed to get that drawer open!”

“You think they squeezed it in there?” The unicorn snarked.

“Not really, but maybe it fell down and shattered? I just have... a feeling...” He pulled the drawer open!

Inside of it, there was a silver locket. And for some reason, he was curious what it might hide... He didn't even know why, it probably would be Mayor Celestia's parents, or herself and her sister anyway, but something made him want to look at it.

“FOUND IT!” Applejack's voice came from the library two doors down the hallway.

“You heard her!” Tempest grabbed Spike's shoulder! “Let's go!”

But he stood there as he flipped the lid open... and stared. It wasn't the mayor's parents, nor her sister. It wasn't her graduation or anything like that! There was Mayor Celestia, a bit younger, with a tiny, green-and-purple, dragon baby in her arms.

“What... the...?!”

The unicorn grabbed his arm and pulled, shouting “LET'S GO!” as she dragged him towards the door!

Absently-minded, he slipped the locket in his pocket as he was pulled after his friend!

Outside, Spike and Tempest met with the others. Big Mac held the statue, while the others all carried some small things each. “We've taken some more stuff with us!” Applejack explained. ”Expensive-looking, but over all not that valuable stuff. To make it seem like a bunch of burglars who got lucky, taking some stuff and snatching the statue by pure chance!”

Spike nodded. With a bit of luck, that would mean they wouldn't put any particular attention to the statue...

“Rumble and I had checked their bedrooms!” Fleetfoot laughed! “I think it'd been funny if I had found the mayor's secret vibrator stash!”

“Or some risky pictures from her school days!” Rumble added, just as amused! The sisters were just too hot... There were some deepfake pictures on the internet, but the genuine stuff would be far better!

Sunset shook her head. Horny idiots... Now, they weren't stupid, and nice ponies to have around, but sometimes, their hormones took over a little too much! “Let's go home!”

Nodding in agreement, Tempest added: “We will wait for a few weeks, and then start to sell the stuff off!” And the statue would be delivered to Wallflower Blush once the inevitable public interest had died down. Then, she noticed that Spike hadn't said anything since she met him in the office... “Spike? Are you alright?”

“What? Uh... yes... Yes! Of course!” His head was spinning, and he hadn't been paying any attention. Wasn't really doing so still! When they were sitting in the car again, and Sunset told Rumble to drive, he was still trying to make sense out of what he had seen!

The little dragon was himself! He was sure of it! But, did that mean...? Did that mean, that Celestia was his mother? Even if only adopted? And if yes, why did she abandon him?

Weeks had passed. After an initial however, Mayor Celestia, and, to a lesser extent, Deputy Mayor Luna, seemed rather rattled by the whole affair. And who could blame them? Yet, instead of taking a few days to recuperate, they just plunged themselves into more work to keep their minds occupied! However, by now especially Celestia seemed rather frazzled! More so than she had before...

Spike himself had, since the break in, been unusually introverted. Whenever he could justify it, he withdrew into his office, even locked the door, and brooded over the locket. Even at home, he had become more withdrawn, much to the consternation, and worry, of Rarity and Sweetie Belle! And an idea began to form in his mind... A risky one. But, he needed to...

“Sunset?” He contacted the manager via her ear piece, sounding rather weary, “when you have the time, come and meet me in my office.”

Five minutes later, Sunset Shimmer sat opposite of Spike. “What's up?”

“You've seen how Celestia's been looking since our little excursion?”

“Mhm. Yeah, on the news and such. Seems to be taking a toll on her. I guess constantly working long, and then having the stress of a break-in... Even somepony like her will reach her breaking point at some point...”

He nodded. “I've heard that the two were here during Nightmare Night? While I was at Chrysalis' lair?” The dragon tried to push those memories away again. With the chance to get a new lead on their arsonists, there was enough on his platter right now, and the paranoia of changeling infiltration would be a distraction that, while well founded, might cause him to overlook other things.

And then, there was the fact, that he still had no idea how to repay the help he had received from Thorax and Ocellus. Chrysalis most likely had moved her hideout the moment they'd left... Ugh! They'd see if they could tackle that problem once they knew more about their other enemy! Maybe they could involve the police in this matter?

Sunset's voice pulled him back to the present! “Yeah. She seemed to enjoy it. Why? You have an idea?”

“How about we send the two an invitation? Give them an evening off?”

The manager thought about it for a moment... “I guess we could tell them that we wanted to take their mind off of that incident, even if only for a night!”

“Yeah, something like that!” Spike agreed!

“Feeling bad for them?” The unicorn let out a small, not very amused, laugh.

“A little...” He admitted. And, maybe, he'd would indeed be able to muster the courage to confront the mayor about that locket...

“Well, I'll send them an invitation together with my number so that they can call beforehand, and I can make arrangements.”

A week later, the club was as full as ever! Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon, as so often, sat at their table on the second floor, chatting with Apple Bloom, Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo, when they heard a familiar voice behind them: “Shining? How about here?”

The heads of the five young mares spun around!

“Principal Cadance?!” Tiara was the first to let her surprise be heard!

Now, the alicorn and her husband turned! “Diamond Tiara?” On the one hand, she had known that Tiara, and her friends, were here often, but it was still a little bit surprising that they'd ran into them like this! “And Silver Spoon! Sweetie Belle, Apple Bloom, Scootaloo! Shining! Those are some of my students!”

Since it seemed like Cadance had been looking for a seat, Silver Spoon had an idea: “Why don't you sit down with us?”

“Sure! Why not!” The teacher chirped! “Move over, Silver Spoon!”

“You really think,-” her husband chuckled as he was sitting down himself, “-it's a good idea to mingle with your students in a club?”

“Just sit down, Shining! I honestly doubt anyone here will care!” She told him in mock sternness! “And even if, I will be able to talk my way out of it!”

And now, Sweetie remembered her job: “What do you, and your husband, want to drink?”

Meanwhile on the other side of the second floor, Celestia and Luna were sitting in a corner, enjoying their own cocktails. “And? Does the alcohol help?” Luna asked her sister, a mirthless smile on her face.

Tia sighed after she took another sip. “A little...” Honestly, the atmosphere of the club was also helping somewhat. Even if only a little, it was pulling her in. And so did that slice of cake in front of her! She would have to check that bakery the club was working with...

As Celestia pondered, a roar rose from the floor below! “Sounds like the crowd is going wild...” She mused.

“I'll check what's going on.” With this, her sister stood up and walked over to the railing. She slightly bent over it, to see what was happening.

Down on the first floor, a scantily clad, and very voluptuous, yellow pegasus mare, wearing a butterfly mask, had entered the stage! As she began to dance, Luna expected at almot every movement that her assets would spill out...

Over time, Fluttershy had become more and more accustomed to putting on shows at the club. If she wore the mask. Without it, she'd never dare! Though... she had changed outside of it as well! Even in her normal life, and at work, she wasn't quite as conscious of her body anymore, had started to more regularly wear more casual outfits! And, a few times, after work outs, or showers, she had even flashed some of her colleagues by accident, only realizing it when it had been pointed out to her! Though once that had happened, she had reacted as she would've done before!

Well, maybe not quite as extreme, but still enough to let them chalk it up to an accident. Not that any of them, male or female, complained. When it had happened the first time, Gilda and Spitfire had been speechless! Rainbow Dash had seen her nude before, but still had been surprised...

At the club, however, Shy had even come so far as to seek out partners for some fun from time to time! Usually, she preferred cute, shy, nice studs. Often, they turned out to be virgins, which was something that gave Shy a kick... to be sompepony's first time... It was something that, before, she'd never imagined herself to be, except maybe for “Mr. Right”, in a shared first time! And now, she got a kick out of being the first for quite a few! Funny how things could turn out...

Sometimes, her partners were more confident, even arrogant. The typical “gift to all marekind”, or to females of all species', kinda guys. In those cases, one of the bouncers was standing guard. Just in case...

And every now and then, she took a mare or two with her!

Curious as to what her sister was looking at, Celestia herself now joined her. Luna looked at her, and pointed at the dancing pegasus. “Tia? What do you think? Are those real?”

“Definitely.” She answered, dryly, after looking for a bit. “Honestly? Right now, this club reminds me of when we were young! Remember when we-,” she lowered her voice to a whisper even Luna could barely hear over the noise, “-remember, when we left a whole club drained and exhausted after my graduation?”

The younger alicorn nodded. While a bit embarrassed about their... youthful foolishness at times, such stuff still provided fond memories of easier times! And she couldn't, in good conscience, claim that she didn't participate in, or enjoy the experience of, those club visits!

“If a club like this had been around back in the day, I think I wouldn't have minded jobbing here a little!” Then, her own gaze fell on a supermodel-looking white unicorn that joined the pegasus on stage! “Wait a moment! Is that Fleur de Lis?”

Luna strained her eyes as she looked at the mare! “Fancy Pants' girlfriend? Yes! I think so! What is she doing here?!”

Suddenly, a male voice, coming from behind them, answered the question: “She works for me. Fancy Pants and her got to know each other when he saw her perform here, and she still performs from time to time! Also, Fleur thinks she owes us, and still likes to hang out when she has time!”

The sisters spun around! And before then stood the club's owner! “Spike!” Luna quickly walked a few steps to shake his hand! “I haven't seen you since we met at Filthy Rich's party!”

“Yeah, I know.” With his left, the dragon scratched his neck as he replied, “I was honestly looking forward to seeing you again at our Nightmare Night event, but stuff happened... Business! And... some... other things!” He hoped she didn't notice the hint of uncertainess...

If she did, Luna didn't let it be seen. Maybe it simply were the the deputy mayor's years of experience at moving situations along while avoiding any embarrassing, or inconvenient, moments.“Tia,-” she turned to her sister, letting Spike's hand go, “-let me introduce you to the proprietor of this establishment!” Grabbing Tia's hand, she guided it to the dragon's.

Celestia, despite having been forewarned long ago, was staring at the dragon as if she'd just seen a ghost! “Y-yes... I-I...” The mayor rapidly shook her head to get herself back together! “I am Celestia, the mayor!” It was less eloquent, and more terse, than she had wanted...

Though on the other side, Spike wasn't doing much better, though he would've liked to act the charming host! “Spike! The, uhm... The owner of this club! I... I've heard about that break-in, and thought that, maybe, a night out might help to get your thoughts on something else?”

“Well, it might work better if I didn't get reminded of it!” The mayor shot back, but with a small smile, showing it wasn't intended to be taken seriously. “Thank you. I think it does help.”

“I hope you don't mind if I ask...” Spike was going to use this chance! That staring just now had given him a window! “What was that just now? You looked at me like you've seen a ghost!”

Luna looked at her sister, wondering how Tia would answer, or if she should answer in her stead...

“You just...,” The mayor spoke slowly, choosing her words carefully, ”reminded me of someone.”

“Is that so?” The words left Spike's mouth as if spoken by somebody else. He had to sit down, and steady his nerves. Think about this for a bit! “Well, I have to get back to work. I'll be in my office, over there.”

For the last hour, Spike had been sitting in his office. Again, he had been staring at the locket In his hand. The dragon had wanted to return it to the mayor, had even thought about a reasonable cover story. But... something held him back! Maybe it was fear, or, at least, concern...

His body jerked up straight, when he heard a knock coming from the door! Spike had been barely able to stop himself from slamming the jewelry in his claws onto his desk! Hastily, he slipped it back into one of his drawers...

“Yes? Come in!”

To his surprise, it was the mayor. Her mane now looked slightly frizzled, and her steps, while still secure, seemed to have just the barest hint of some wobbliness!

“Miss Mayor?” Spike blinked, not quite believing that she had just come over to him!

“Jus' call me Celestia!” She replied, her speech slightly slurred, sounding in a weird spot between serious, sad, and the levity of alcoholic bliss. “I am not at work right now!”

“May... Celestia? Why did you come to my office?”

“After three screwdrivers, two old fashioned, one vodka martini, one martini, two whiskey sours, one bamboo cocktail, one highball, one Long Island ice tea, and one mojito,” she told him, “I'm feeling a slight buzz and...”

Spike's mind was trying to make sense of her words! She had that much booze and was, at worst, slightly tipsy?! This mare, or maybe alicorns in general, were something else! Even he, a dragon, would be at least a bit more affected!

“... and I thought that I owe you an explanation. For the staring.” Or rather, she thought, the booze had allowed her to gather the courage to talk about it to a stranger!

Spike swallowed hard, as he desperately tried not to let his anxiety show! He was happy that he had bought a thick desk map to keep his claws from scratching the wood of of his desk... “Yes?” he dragon heard a slight tremble in his voice...

“You wanted to know why I was staring at you...” Celestia sighed as she let herself drop into a chair. “I am sorry. I just thought you looked...”

“Familiar?” So much had been said before, so, that wasn't a big reveal.

“Like somebody I knew many years ago...” The mayor's voice turned gloomy, almost depressed, falling silent to gather herself!

In Spike's mind, this was as good an opportunity he'd ever get... “Like a little baby dragon?” He asked her, pulling the locket out of the drawer again and flipping the lid open. Holding it on the chain, he turned it, so that Celestia could see the inside.

Now, the mayor was speechless from shock! “W-where did you get this?!” She managed to stammer once her brain had caught up with what her eyes were seeing! “It's one of the items stolen from-...”

“Your home, I know!” He nodded, trying hard to keep his expression neutral. “Bought it from a fence.”

“A fence?” Shady...

“You probably noticed the kind of area we are in?” He asked her.

Of course she did. For one, some of her policies were working towards improving areas like this. And, it had been where...

“Grew up in this area.” Spike continued, not waiting for a reply. “I'll admit that I was involved in some shady businesses while doing so. And I still have contacts! When I had heard about that break-in, I've kept tabs on the local fences, to see if any of your stuff would land there.”

“Why?” Celestia blinked in confusion.

He cracked a dry smile. “Mainly curiosity, to be honest! But also, because, maybe, I could give some of it back. Me, and my friends, respect the work you're doing, Mayor Celestia! So I had hoped that, maybe, we could help. Though we only got this locket.”

“C-can I have it, please?”

“Of course!” He smiled brightly, stretching out the hand holding the chain, the locket swaying as it moved towards the alicorn! But then, just before she could take it, he pulled it back! His eyes had changed. They were cold, and hard. “I just have one question: Why do you have a locket showing you with a baby dragon?” He didn't say “A baby dragon that looks suspiciously like myself!”

The alicorn sat in silence, staring at the picture.

Outside, Luna had begun to wonder where her sister had gone to. She did have more alcohol than was usual for her... Maybe she should look for her? Shaking her head, the younger sister emptied her own glass, her fourth for the evening, and took a walk. Maybe she'd find Tia.

After a few minutes, she hadn't seen her sister, but she had found some other familiar ponies! “I didn't expect to meet you here, niece!”

“Aunt Luna?!” Cadance spun around, hearing Luna's voice! “I could say the same to you! Sit down with us!”

“Years ago, I adopted a little dragon,” Celestia sighed. It had taken some internal struggling, but why not tell him? It wasn't exactly a secret, even if most of the city probably never thought about it, Svengallop's occasional potshots aside. “I... Well, I had wanted a child, but with all the work I have, the natural way would have been a bit... inconvenient. And then, the search for a suitable partner, or donor, and all that... So, adoption it was.” There also was her concern that her child might not be an alicorn, but instead a normal pony. Alicorns lived long, and if her foal had turned out not to be an alicorn, it would have died long before she would even begin to look middle-aged. This longevity was balanced out by the fact that her kind was extremely rare, and natural born ones even more so. Very few ponies indeed ended up becoming alicorns, and how that worked was a mystery still. Cadance had managed...

Dragons lived long. Maybe not alicorn-long, though, if anyone alive today knew the actual extents of either kinds lifespan, they hadn't shared it, but long enough for Celestia, and Luna, to spend a lot of time with one. It had been one of her concerns during the preliminary considerations. The next part, however, was only known to Celestia, Luna, and their closest confidants. “And when I saw that baby dragon... Well, it was like I had immediately known that he was the right one.”

Spike listened, basically hanging on her every word! It didn't sound like she had gotten rid of him on purpose! So... What had happened?

“He'd been with us, Luna and me, for a few months, before...”

“Before what?”

“It was during an election campaign. After an event, we were on our way home. Our driver was passing through, maybe a mile from here? ” Celestia could recall that day very well... “What exactly happened was never quite cleared up. One moment, we were driving. The next, I have a splitting headache, and three cracked ribs, as I come back to my senses next to two burning cars! Police, ambulance and the fire department are rushing down the streets, and I notice that I'm bleeding from a gash on my forehead. Luna had broken her left arm, but she had taken less of the impact. She'd managed to get out of the car on her own, before the fire started. Our driver, and the driver and passengers of the other car, well...” The fact that she didn't say anything about them said everything. “And my little son... I don't know what happened. He'd been sitting on my lap, but we never found him, or his...,” She swallowed hard. “It never made sense. The area was searched, and nothing found. But such a young baby couldn't have gotten far, especially after a car crash! In the end, the investigators suggested that, in a freak set of coincidences, that he was... No, I don't even want to say it... He was declared dead...” Her voice cracked a little. “Never really got time to grieve either. After a few days, I just continued to work to distract myself...”

“I guess that explains...” Spike mumbled, not noticing that he said it out loud!

“Explains what?”

The dragon looked into Celestia's eyes. “Well... the first thing I, barely, remember is walking through a rundown back alley at night, not far from here. After a comforting smell and soft warmness, and a major impact. Dunno how, I managed to get by for a while.”

The alicorn's eyes widened!

“I don't know how long after, but, sometime later, I was picked up and taken in by a local family. Since the area was even worse than now, there wasn't much in the way of working through the official channels, and everyone there, even the school, just silently considered me adopted.”

“Do you... do you want to imply that...?” She couldn't put it in words.

“That I am the dragon in that picture in the locket? I mean, he looks very much like I did when I was small... And... there is something familiar about your smell...”

For a while, the two just sat there, looking at one another. Celestia mustered every visible scale on the dragon's body, his eyes, the shape of his face... Of course, his story could've been made up to fit hers. It wasn't that deep, and that a school, even in this area, at the state it was back then, would just accept this, sounded weird, but something inside of her told her, or maybe just wanted her to believe that this dragon was her little one...

Then, her mind found one way to test him: His name. The fact that his name was Spike was known to her, thanks to her sister, and the fact that it wasn't exactly a secret. It could be just a coincidence... After all it was highly doubtful he'd been running around, calling himself Spike, for years just for the chance to have this moment! And if he'd just been named Spike, then there also would be no reason to assume that he really was the baby from so many years ago!

“Your name is Spike, right?” She asked him, her eyes not moving one bit.

He wondered where this was going... “Yeah.”

“Do you know why?”

“Funny that you ask... Recently, I reunited with the ponies that took me in, and I wondered the same thing! They said that, when asked, I was mumbling stuff that more or less sounded like 'Spike', and with my looks, it sounded fitting enough!”

“It's really you, isn't it?” Celestia's voice broke a little, and a tear ran down her cheek, as she jumped up! Her chair fell over and hit the ground when she cleared the desk's corner! She just couldn't imagine somebody making that up for a story. A fraud would probably say that they had something with them, or that they had just remembered the name! Something like that! “You had just recently started to start talking, and you constantly tried to say your name... 'Spike', 'Spike', 'Spike'. You thought it sounded funny. And yes, it was because of your spikes!”

Celestia grabbed his arms before Spike knew what was happening! One tug, and he was on his feet! Another tug, and she was pressing his face against her chest! And between her breasts... Her arms were slung behind his head, keeping him locked in place, letting him feel her warmth.. And her soft, pillowy, and voluptuous boobs.

Honestly, he was getting a little hard. He was just a guy, after all, and Mayor Celestia's bust had been something many manehattanites had probably dreamt about! And that alicorn live span meant that, despite more than twenty years having passed, she looked like she hadn't aged a day!

“I'm so happy...” Celestia whispered. “I know that we will never be able to bond like we should have, but... I would like to...”

“I'd like to try.” Spike smiled. “But...,” it pained him to say this, “it might not be a good idea... You might've heard about the fact that I've been under investigation not too long ago? And I did tell you I have connections to fences and so on? You're a politician, the mayor... I respect what you're doing, and, well...”

“If the tabloids, or, say, Svengallop found out, they might ruin what I'm trying to do for this city?” She concluded dryly. “I know. I just wish...”

“Hmm... I mean, maybe you could just visit us, the club, more often? We could spend time in ways that wouldn't necessarily attract too much attention. I am already friends with Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon after all, so adding the mayor and her sister to my acquaintances wouldn't be out of the ordinary. And if you ever decide to retire from politics...”

Celestia sighed. “Maybe. But, until then, I think I would like to try to visit here more often. It really does help at relieving some stress...”

“You will always be welcome in my club. But we won't give you, or Luna, any more special treatment than any of our other VIPs, like Diamond Tiara!”

“I wouldn't want any special treatment anyway!” She laughed, as she let go of the hug. “Giving Luna and me a VIP card or whatever would probably be generally accepted. If I visit a hoofball game, nobody bats an eye when I sit in the VIP zone either! But any further and we'd probably be accused of taking bribes.” Celestia stepped away from Spike and stretched herself. “Well, I guess it is time to go back. Luna is probably starting to worry.”

“I'll accompany you!”

“Tia! There you are!” Luna called out when she saw her older sister leave Spike's office! “I was wondering where you went, and wanted to look for you, when I got distracted by running into Cadance and her husband, as well as Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon!”

“Lulu! Did you worry about me?” The older alicorn laughed! “I am old enough to look out for myself!”

“Indeed, sister. Especially considering the amount of alcohol you had!” Luna's face showed her lack of amusement.

“At worst I am a little buzzed!” Tia snorted, before turning to the others: “Cadance! Shining! What a pleasant surprise to see you here! Diamond Tiara! How are your parents doing? Silver Spoon!”

Each of them returned their greeting in kind.

“I had heard that you two like to spend time here,” Celestia looked at the two youngest mares, Spike's employees aside. “Your mother didn't seem too happy about it.”

“My mother can kiss my ass!” Tiara shot back, downing her drink. “If everything went according to what makes her happy, I'd be locked up in one of our places, unless she lets me out to accompany her to some event!”

The mayor looked amused.

“Hey, Cadance! Hey, Shining!” Spike now made himself noticeable. “Diamond! Silver Spoon!” As usual, the latter two received a kiss each.

“You already know my niece and her husband?” She turned back to Spike.

Now, Luna chuckled! “Well, he did run into Cadance at Filthy Rich's party back then!”

“That he did!” Cadance agreed.

“In fact,” Luna added, “she was just telling me about that!”

As Celestia joined the conversation with her niece and the others, Spike called the crusaders over. After some general talk about stuff for the evening, he told them: “Apple Bloom? Scootaloo? Can you bring us two extra chairs? Sweetie? Another round of drinks, alright?”

“Sure!”

“And, if you want, you can join us later!”

As the three hurried off, Spike joined the general conversation. General small-talk, some catch-up between aunts and niece who hadn't seen each other in quite a while. After a few minutes, Sweetie Belle returned, and a couple of minutes later, the chairs arrived. Unfortunately for the three, they still had to work for a while before they could call in their break.

Without thinking too much about it, Spike turned to Cadance: “How is it going? I mean, you're here, and you two...” Alcohol wasn't that great if you were, well...

She smiled, realizing what he was talking about. “Let's just say that I am drinking non-alcoholic drinks tonight!”

“Congratulations! Do the others know already?!”

“Not yet.” Shining's face was stern! “We wanted to tell them tomorrow!” Spike immediately understood that he implied that Spike shouldn't tell the others. “We came here because we wanted to celebrate just between the two of us, and, I guess, you. And Celestia and Luna now. And Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon, since we ran into all of you anyway!”

However, the dragon had forgotten something, when his curiosity had gotten the better of him.. “Spike?” Celestia raised an inquisitive eyebrow on him. “How do you know that my niece was trying for a foal? She told it to me while you were busy talking to your employees! And from what I've heard otherwise, it didn't seem like you met her again after the gala. She told me that the only other time she'd been here had been during the Nightmare Night party... Something doesn't add up!”

For but a moment, he thought about it. “Well...,” better to be honest about it. Even if Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon also heard it. They could keep secrets, at times at least, and sending them away would just cause them to get even more curious! “Remember me telling you about having been picked up and taken in by some ponies?”

“Yes?” Tia leaned in, resting her chin on the back of her left hand.

“Diamond Tiara? Silver Spoon? You have to promise me that you won't tell anyone, not even your friends, about this, do you understand me?” They nodded. “Those ponies... had been Night Light and Twilight Velvet... So... I, kinda, am Shining's and Twilight's younger brother!”

Luna and Celestia sat there open-mouthed.

“You should've seen our reactions!” Shining laughed. “Maybe we should tell you more of the story?”

A few hours later, Spike looked at a piece of paper he had received from Wallflower Blush. It was the information. It didn't tell them exactly who it'd been, but, at least, it was a new lead. They'd follow this trail soon enough... and once they got their hands on Fire Flare, maybe they could squeeze something out of her. If she even knew anything about her employer. Whoever it was might've gone through intermediaries.

One of the big issues they'd had so far had been that she, and her group, had seemingly vanished without a trace. In a best case scenario, they had decided to lay low, or been told to do so, after their fire hadn't turned out the way they wanted. Worst case scenario? They'd been silenced forever.

But, according to a part of the new information, it was just them lying low. And some other bits implied that their shadowy opponent came from the upper strata of society. Interesting, interesting. And problematic.

Especially considering about all the others he knew that he had to worry about now! Celestia, Luna, Night Light, Velvet, Twilight Sparkle, Shining Armor, and Cadance... And Fluttershy as well! Rarity, of course...

Before, it'd just been himself, and his gang. Even the Crusaders had known what they might get into. But now, if he fucked up, it could impact ponies that had nothing to do with his businesses! He could, without wanting to, ruin their careers, their lifes!

At least Cozy Glow had never seemed too interested in Fluttershy after the first few days, when it had become clear that she'd most likely not be very useful for her schemes. Probably, she had already discarded her as unimportant, and hopefully had even forgotten about her involvement. Otherwise, who knew what she might try...

The dragon lit himself a cigarette, pondering over what had happened in the last few months, and what might happen in the future. Sometime next week, he'd have a big discussion with the rest of the gang's top brass. But that was for next week. This evening, maybe, he should just rest a little.

Author's Note

Yeah, finishing this was one of those “I need to get this over with...” parts where I struggled even more than usual to get through.

If anyone wants to make more of this story, be my guest. Or do it better. I would've liked to write it better, more coherrent and so on, but the open end, to be honest, is something I had settled on fairly early. This "the story goes on" end felt, for me, appropriate, especially since I wouldn't have been able to write a decent conclusion anyway.